Eisenhower Park Revitalization King's Mark Environmental
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Eisenhower Park Revitalization Milford, Connecticut King’s Mark Environmental Review Team Report King’s Mark Resource Conservation and Development Area, Inc. 2 Eisenhower Park Revitalization Milford, Connecticut Prepared by the King’s Mark Environmental Review Team Of the King’s Mark Resource Conservation and Development Area, Inc. For the Mayor Milford, Connecticut Report #350 June 2010 CT Environmental Review Team 1066 Saybrook Road, PO Box 70 Haddam, CT 06438 www.ctert.org 3 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This report is an outgrowth of a request from the Mayor of Milford to the Southwest Conservation District (SWCD) and the King’s Mark Resource Conservation and Development Area (RC&D) Council and ERT Subcommittee for their consideration and approval. The request was approved and the measure reviewed by the King’s Mark Environmental Review Team (ERT). The King’s Mark Environmental Review Team Coordinator, Elaine Sych, would like to thank and gratefully acknowledge the following Team members whose professionalism and expertise were invaluable to the completion of this report. The field review took place on Tuesday, November 18, 2008 and Tuesday, March 17, 2009. Nicholas Bellantoni State Archaeologist Office of State Archaeology (860) 486-5248 Robin Blum Wildlife Biologist DEP – Eastern District Headquarters (860) 295-9523 Daniel Forrest Archaeologist State Historic Preservation Office (860) 256-2761 Joseph Hickey Recreation Planner CT Greenways Council (860) 529-4363 Dawn McKay Biologist, Environmental Analyst DEP - NDDB Program (860) 424-3592 Susan Peterson Watershed Coordinator DEP – Watershed Management Program (860) 424-3854 Donald Mysling Senior Fisheries Biologist DEP – Inland Fisheries Division Habitat Conservation and Management Plan (860) 567-8998 4 Roman Mrozinski Executive Director Southwest Conservation District (203) 269-7509 Charlotte Pyle Landscape Ecologist USDA – Natural Resources Conservation Service (860) 871-4066 Randolph Steinen Geologist DEP – State Geological and Natural History Survey UCONN - Emeritus Professor, Geology Program (860) 486-1383 I would also like to thank MaryRose Palumbo, inland wetland compliance officer, City of Milford, Joanna Piscitelli, Joseph Agro and Mark Lofthouse, Eisenhower Study Committee, Philip Katz, Stantec Consulting Services, Inc, Glen Behrle, chief inspector, engineering department, City of Milford, John Mangen, GIS coordinator, MIS department, City of Milford, Bill Poutray, conservation commission, City of Milford, Bill McCarthy, recreation director, City of Milford and Marcia Winter, grant coordinator, City of Milford, for their cooperation and assistance during this environmental review. Prior to the review days, each Team member received a summary of the proposed project with location maps. During the field reviews Team members were given additional information. Some Team members conducted a map review only, while others made separate or follow-up visits. Following the review, reports from each Team member were submitted to the ERT coordinator for compilation and editing into this final report. This report represents the Team’s findings. It is not meant to compete with private consultants by providing site plans or detailed solutions to development problems. The Team does not recommend what final action should be taken on a proposed project - all final decisions rest with the city. This report identifies the existing resource base and evaluates its significance to the proposed use, and also suggests considerations that should be of concern to the town. The results of this Team action are oriented toward the development of better environmental quality and the long term economics of land use. The King’s Mark RC&D Executive Council hopes you will find this report of value and assistance in the revitalization and management planning for Eisenhower Park. If you require additional information please contact: Elaine Sych, ERT Coordinator CT ERT Program P. O. Box 70 Haddam, CT 06438 Tel: (860) 345-3977 e-mail: [email protected] 5 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Frontpiece 2 Acknowledgements 3 Table of Contents 5 Introduction 6 Topography and Geology 13 Soil Resources 19 A Watershed Perspective 35 Aquatic Habitats and Fisheries Resources 51 Landscape Ecology and Invasive Species Management 73 The Natural Diversity Data Base 78 Wildlife Management 82 Recreation Planner Review 95 About the Team 100 6 INTRODUCTION Introduction The Mayor of Milford has requested Environmental Review Team (ERT) assistance in reviewing and identifying natural resources within Eisenhower Park for management and revitalization. Eisenhower Park is located on Route 121 approximately 2.7 miles south of the Merit Parkway and 0.9 miles north of Route 1 in Milford. The 220 acre park is City owned space. Adjacent to the main body of the park across West Street is an additional +100 acre parcel of open space known as the Solomon Property. The two properties contain +125 acres of wetlands, approximately 253 wooded acres, 41 acres of meadow and 16 acres of active recreation. The Wepawaug River traverses the Eisenhower Park parcel from north to south. A CL&P ROW bisects the parcel and forms the southern site boundary of the Solomon parcel. A pond with a dam is located just east of the Wepawaug River in Eisenhower Park. There is a diversion structure that diverts flows from the river into the pond. Both parcels have many existing trails and various access points. Land-Tech Consultants prepared a natural resources inventory report in 2005 for the Eisenhower Park Study Committee and Stantec Consulting Services prepared a Master Plan for the park in 2007. The mission statement of the Eisenhower Park Study committee is “To create a park that will meet the recreational needs of Milford’s citizens today and in the future, while enhancing and protecting the site’s natural resources.” The City if Milford would like to create a formal management plan for these two parcels and prioritize projects to both stabilize the natural resources and to add amenities to bring more users into the park. The two previously mentioned studies also studied what other towns had done to increase park usage and to determine what the citizens of Milford would like to see in their park. Objectives of the ERT Study Milford would like to use the ERT report to determine what is feasible to do with Eisenhower Park and to prioritize maintenance and proposed improvements to revitalize this park that has been neglected for approximately 40 years. Guidance is needed on: Protection and stabilization of the riparian corridor of the Wepawaug River Evaluation and repair/replacement of the existing dam and diversion on the Wepawaug River Removal of invasives and the replanting with natives Formalization of trail systems used by hikers, dog walkers and horseback riders Placement of passive and active recreation Condition of the pond and its maintenance 7 The ERT Process Through the efforts of the Mayor of Milford this environmental review and report was prepared for the City of Milford. This report provides an information base and a series of recommendations and guidelines which cover the topics requested by the city. Team members were able to review maps, plans and supporting documentation provided by the applicant. The review process consisted of four phases: 1. Inventory of the site’s natural resources; 2. Assessment of these resources; 3. Identification of resource areas and review of plans; and 4. Presentation of education, management and land use guidelines. The data collection phase involved both literature and field research. The field review was conducted Tuesday, November 18, 2008 and Tuesday, March 17, 2009. The emphasis of the field review was on the exchange of ideas, concerns and recommendations. Being on site allowed Team members to verify information and to identify other resources. Once Team members had assimilated an adequate data base, they were able to analyze and interpret their findings. Individual Team members then prepared and submitted their reports to the ERT coordinator for compilation into this final ERT report. 8 9 10 11 12 13 TOPOGRAPHY AND GEOLOGY In 2005, the Town of Milford received a Natural Resources Inventory which describes the “Physiography/Topography” and “Geology” of Eisenhower Park on pp. 2-3. This report will not repeat that material, but will cast it in slightly different terms and add some physical description based on field observation. Topography Eisenhower Park straddles the Wepawaug River in the northern part of Milford. It consists of an eastern and western upland area and a central river valley. The eastern upland area has a rather gentle almost streamlined topography. The high point on the eastern side of the park is slightly greater than 110 feet above sea level. The area is underlain by the thick glacial till of a drumlin. The westward slope into the valley is subdued, dropping to an elevation of around 50-60 feet where a gravel terrace laps onto the slope. The western upland area consists of several hilltops with elevations reaching up to 180 feet above sea level. It is more rugged with considerable area of relatively steep slopes. The area is underlain by thin glacial till with numerous bed rock (ledge) outcrops. The western upland area drops abruptly to a terrace that laps up onto its steep slopes. The Wepawaug River flows through a terraced valley. Terraces on either side of the river have an elevation from 5-15 feet higher than the adjacent flood plain of the river. The flood plain drops about 20 feet from an elevation of 56 feet where it enters the northern end of the park less than 40 feet where it leaves the southern end of the park, Figure 1. Topographic map: contour interval = 10’ a distance slightly greater than a mile. The flood plain ranges in width from about 100 feet to more than 600 feet. It is underlain by modern river alluvium. Terraces, on both sides of the river, are from 100 to more than 600 feet wide. They are underlain by sand and gravel and have been extensively disturbed by mining (removal) and park development (construction of parking and other facilities) that involved placement of material, some of which was locally derived.